TrueNorth Remembers the Holocaust

The purpose of the arts is not only entertainment, but also enlightenment and education. That's what TrueNorth Cultural Arts will be bringing to the community this fall with The Diary of Anne Frank and Holocaust Cantata: Songs from the Camps.

Auditions for The Diary of Anne Frank will be wrapping up on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at TrueNorth. Anyone interested in trying out for a role should contact TrueNorth at 440-949-5200 to schedule an audition time.

TrueNorth is looking for the following actors and actresses to fill roles, according to a note on its Facebook page: a 13 to 16-year-old girl to play Anne Frank; an 18-year-old girl to play Margot Frank; a middle-aged man able to speak in a “slight German accent” to play Mr. Frank; a woman in her late 30s who can speak in a “slight German accent” to play Mrs. Frank; a man in his late forties to play Mr. Van Daan; a woman in her early forties to play Mrs. Van Daan; a 16-year-old boy to play Peter Van Daan; a man in his mid-50s to play Mr. Dussel; a man in his 60s to play Mr. Kraler, who is Dutch; and a 22-year-old woman to play Miep Gies.

TrueNorth asks that those auditioning “prepare a one-minute monologue and dress appropriately,” as stated on its Facebook page. Those who land roles in the play will receive callbacks.

Performance dates for The Diary of Anne Frank are scheduled for Oct. 21 through Nov. 6, on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and on Sundays at 3 p.m.

The Diary of Anne Frank also will have school matinee times each Friday (Oct. 21, 29, and Nov. 4) at 10 a.m.

The matinees always sell out, said TrueNorth marketing and group sales coordinator Brian Bowers, and he urged schools interested in bringing classes to contact him at 440-949-5200 ext. 228 as soon as possible to get tickets. Not only is there is special pricing for the daytime matinees, he said, but TrueNorth also provides a study guide to the teachers so they can continue the discussion of the show's themes back in the classroom.

Holocaust Cantata: Songs from the Camps is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. The music was written by composer Donald McCullough. Instead of having by a full orchestra, the TrueNorth Chamber Singers will be accompanied by a piano and cello, Bowers said.

“It's (the cantata) unique in that it intermingles songs from the cycle with spoken prose written by Nazi concentration camp survivors,” he said.

“We chose this piece not only because we feel the subject matter has such an important significance, but also because the concert will usher in the Mainstage Theatre performance of The Diary of Anne Frank which opens the following week. We hope that people will come experience the concert and then return to watch Anne Frank, an incredibly important piece of literature and theatrical work.”

TrueNorth decided to highlight the Holocaust this fall as a way to educate the community, which is part of its mission, Bowers said.

“The Holocaust is such an important part of the world's history that we wanted to share in educating our audience about this terrible time in our history," he said. "I think it's important, as artists, that we not only entertain our audience, but also challenge them. TrueNorth challenges audiences by bringing not only the big, glitzy musicals to the stage, but also shows dealing with heavy issues such as racism, prejudice and slavery. These are all an important part of our history that we hope to share with our audiences.”

Tickets for The Diary of Anne Frank and Holocaust Cantata: Songs from the Camps are available for purchase on TrueNorth's website, www.tncarts.org, or by calling 440-949-5200.